As the characters continued their trek towards the crater, they came across wagon ruts and tracks in the mud. Hoping that it wasn't somehow more fungus zombies, they quickened their pace and soon came across a wagon guarded by kappa soldiers.

Aka called out to them, and when they responding by drawing their swords and advancing towards the party, she tried claiming that they were merely lost travelers. When they didn't believe her, she then tried drawing her sword and charging.

After slaying several kappa, one of them called out for help. Moments later a stooped, bearded kappa carrying a staff emerged from the fog. Aka again tried claiming that they were lost but, as with the other kappa he also didn't believe her, so as with the other kappa Aka charged at him.

Before Aka could close the distance, thick roots erupted from the ground. Though Aka was able to just barely evade the attack, Mirai and Sho were held fast, giving four of the kappa warriors enough time to surround and incapacitate her. Fortunately, before they were able to finish the job, Sho was able to teleport to freedom and continue fighting, while Mirai commanded the winds to batter the kappa from a distance.

Once the kappa were whittled down to just a single warrior, he held his sword above Aka's throat, promising to spare her if they in turn spared him. Fearing that he would alert others as to their presence, but seeing no other choice, they eventually relented. The kappa, unhindered by the rain or mud, swiftly vanished into the mist.

After Mirai finished treating Aka they inspected the wagon. It was pulled by a fungus-zombified horse. A basket on its head obstructed most of its vision, allowing it to only see a rotting arm dangling in front of it when a flap on the basket was lifted. The rest of the wagon was comparatively mundane: the kappa looked to have been transporting wood, food, and a stone sarcophagus wrapped in chains.

They broke the chains and opened the sarcophagus. Inside was an object, humanoid in shape and made entirely of metal. Aside from an elaborately sculpted face, it was completely unadorned. It didn't move until Aka touched it, at which time it seemed to...activate. Somehow able to speak, after introducing itself as Kabuto it asked them who they were and where it was.

They explained that a war against the kappa had devastated the Glorious Dragon Empire, driving the humans away and reducing the kingdom to a sodden ruin. A princess from the New Empire had been abducted by kappa, and they had traveled far intent on rescuing her. Unsure where it was or what to do, Kabuto decided to tag along.

Behind the Scenes

Melissa is having a hard time keeping her character conscious. Oh well, slayers are strikers, not defenders. Plus 4E is pretty damned forgiving: you can bounce back from getting dropped, either with a leader-heal, Heal check, or after the fight's over. Might try to work in some persistent injury rules from FrankenFourth to give near-death some more oomph.

Maria has also (re)joined the gang as a warforged vampire. She helped playtest A Sundered World and Dungeons & Delvers back when I ran a converted/expanded Heart of Hemskil, and also published a lich class for Dungeon World. Didn't get much play time, as the kappa fight took quite a while (going to see how long it takes next session, and if fights still drag on I'll be doing the half-hp thing)

Since the party will actually get to explore the crater next session, I'll need to whip up a hex map for the surface and underground regions.